I never wanted an apple fritter until I made salted apple fritters!
Because say it with me: honeycrisp season is the best season.
I mean whyyyy are these apple babes so good?
Here’s the thing. To me, honeycrisps taste like caramel apples without the caramel. That probably makes zero sense. But I think it’s a nostalgia thing. Honeycrisps would be made into caramel or candy apples when I was a kid and they were around for such a short period of time (especially back then) that they were SO special. One bite of them instantly transports me back to those magical fall days as a kid and into my head pops CARAMEL.
Obviously, I still find the apples super special today. And they will forever be my favorite apple variety. I don’t crave caramel with an apple (I’m much more of an apple + peanut butter girl) but I love the combination once or twice during the season.
Enough about caramel, because that has nothing to do with this recipe. And just how fantastic honeycrisps taste.
But this recipe has evvvvverrrrrything to do with honeycrisps.
SALTED HONEYCRISP FRITTERS?!
Let me start by saying I know what a royal pain it is to fry, well… anything. Especially if you have kids! Lacy and I had this full blown discussion about just.how.good a recipe has to LOOK in order to convince us to fry something.
Well, this is it. The batter is easy. Embarrassingly easy, in fact. You stir in some chopped honeycrisps and then fry in a bit of oil. Remove the fritter, glaze it and shower with flaked sea salt.
Can you even take that?!
If you’re a lover of apples and cheddar then you will freak over this. It’s salty and sweet and crispy on the outside but soft on the inside.
I mean, OMG.
Are fritters more breakfast or dessert?
I couldn’t do them for breakfast because of the carb coma that would come over me. But I could possibly do them for brunch (definitely), a snack and then even as a late night treat. Wowzas.
I’m usually very much team-apple cider doughnut but it’s quite possible that I’m asking to be traded.
Salted Apple Fritters
Yield: 15 fritters
These salted apple fritters use honeycrisp apples and flaked sea salt for a fall flavor explosion. These are the best treat ever!
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- Pinch of freshly ground nutmeg
- ⅔ cup milk
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 tablespoon butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups peeled and chopped apples
- vegetable or canola oil for frying
glaze
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- flaked sea salt for sprinkling
Heat a few inches of oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. You want the oil to reach about 350 degrees Line a plate with paper towels.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. In a small bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, butter and vanilla. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry until just combined. Stir the chopped apples into the batter.
Once the oil is hot, drop ¼ cups of batter into the oil, only doing 1 or 2 at a time, and fry until golden on both sides, about 3 to 4 minutes. Be sure to flip the fritter once or twice. Remove the fritters with a slotted spoon and place them on the paper towel to drain excess grease. Repeat with remaining batter.
Once the fritters are all finished and slightly cool, dip them in the glaze. Place them on a sheet of parchment paper and immediately sprinkle with flaked salt. Serve!
glaze
Whisk the sugar, vanilla and milk together until combined and smooth. If the mixture is too thick, add more milk 1 teaspoon at a time until it’s thin enough to dip the fritters.
The crunchiest salt bite though!
